Dark Dawn
by H. S. Hines
Summary: B'Elanna's marriage ends and Seven of Nine is there for her. Their relationship changes, but can it be all B'Elanna wants? Femslash, complete. Please R
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: You saw it on Star Trek? Then I don't own it! Simple enough? Femslash content (I like that word) so if you don't like that please don't waste your time with this story. Disclaimer, done. _

Code: T/7.  
Genre: Angst, Romance  
Rating: M/R  
Feedback: Click review, e-mail me, however you'd like to do it, but let me know what you thought!

* * *

**Dark Dawn**  
_Chapter 1_

* * *

B'Elanna backhanded Tom and spat the Klingon divorce ritual at him. After expressing her distaste against the continuation of their marriage, she promised him that she would make it official by legal standards. She left him there, prostrate and sniveling and ran from their shared quarters, cursing the day she decided to try to salvage their relationship by marrying him. How could she be so stupid?

She had desperately wanted to have a family; that's why. A nice, traditional family with a husband and children and perhaps a pet once that option presented itself. But she had been fooling herself. Tom Paris was not husband material. She gave him credit for trying, but would not live with someone who could lie and cheat on her the way Tom had.

She couldn't let him hurt their daughter. He had made promises that he wouldn't leave them, but he had confessed to the affair with that PetaQ: Jennifer DeLaney. Let them have each other. She was standing outside the door to her old quarters before she remembered that they had been reassigned. To Seven of Nine. Frustration overwhelmed her as she realized that she had nowhere to go. She screamed and hit the door as hard as she could, then fell to the ground, heavy under the burden of her pregnancy, now sixteen weeks in, though her four months looked like seven by human standards.

She sat on her knees, crying audibly, feeling overwhelmed and unloved. The baby inside her moved agitatedly and she tried to stop crying, afraid that she might be poisoning the unborn child with her emotions. But her attempt only caused her to choke out a broken, bitter sob that was greeted by the appearance of Seven of Nine, curious as to why her door had been attacked and who might be trying to destroy the entrance to her new home.

Seven stood there uncomfortably, wondering how she should handle this obviously delicate situation. Unaccustomed to crying women on her doorstep, she assumed her usual stance and posed the only question she could think to ask.

"Lieutenant Torres, do you require assistance?" B'Elanna looked up, startled at Seven, unaware that she had been observed. She tried to get up, but she had fallen in an awkward position and found that she could not maneuver out of it. So she regretfully nodded and felt Seven's arms wrap carefully around her, hoisting her to her feet. Once she was standing, she allowed Seven to steady her and then finally realized that Seven was not fully dressed.

B'Elanna blushed, embarrassed to have disturbed Seven, who had obviously been asleep, judging by the pink tank top and matching boxers that the tall blonde was wearing. She couldn't help but notice how the dark pink made Seven's eyes appear violet and complimented her silken, wavy hair. She realized how she must have looked, disheveled and tear-stained and it only added to her self-consciousness.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you," B'Elanna said, then began explaining, "I forgot that anyone had been assigned my old quarters."

"Why would you require them?" Seven asked innocently.

"I don't. Forget I was here. I'm sorry that I dented your door, I'll fix it in the morning." B'Elanna turned and took exactly two steps before her legs gave and she cried out in pain. She clutched her abdomen as another spasm rushed through it and began panicking, terrified that something was wrong. Sound came rushing back to her and she realized that she had lost touch with reality for a moment.

Seven of Nine was lifting her to her feet as if she hadn't gained twelve kilos in the past few months. B'Elanna tried to walk, but kept stumbling until Seven just picked her up and carried her as though she weighed nothing.

* * *

The doctor finished his diagnostic and gave B'Elanna the good news. "You didn't lose the baby, Lieutenant. The stress on your body almost caused a premature labor, but I have stopped that for the time being. Assuming that you can avoid any more unhealthy shocks to your system, then your pregnancy should progress smoothly, despite this incident." He pressed the hypospray to her neck, explaining it was to prevent premature labor in the near future. "You only have another two and a half months to go, Lieutenant. I'm sure you'll be okay. Perhaps we could neuter your ex-husband to prevent further crisis," he muttered, bringing a smile to B'Elanna, despite her sadness.

B'Elanna nodded at the doctor's instruction to return next week, for her next check up. But when he asked where she planned to stay tonight, she looked up at him, helplessly, and admitted that she didn't know. That's when Seven surprised her for the second time. She certainly hadn't expected the help to Sickbay or for Seven to stay to see that she was alright.

"Lt. Torres may share my quarters tonight, if she wishes." B'Elanna searched Seven for any emotion connected with what she was saying, but found only the quiet, composed woman she always saw. No, that wasn't right—she usually saw a cold, hard, stubborn ex-Borg drone: the Ice Queen. But suddenly, she saw past it at the woman who had hid from the doctor in Engineering, just to be doing something besides dying. The woman who had displayed immeasurable courage the entire time B'Elanna had known her.

"Is that alright with you, Lieutenant?" B'Elanna turned abruptly at the doctor's question, broken from her thoughts and replied.

"Yeah. If I'm not intruding," she added, addressing Seven.

"Not at all, Lieutenant. Though I have a bed, I rarely use it, since I still prefer regenerating. However, when the captain suggested that I move into my own quarters, I found the idea appealing. Therefore, despite the inconvenience of moving my alcove, I transferred to your previous quarters, which the captain offered me."

"Well, then. Lead the way," B'Elanna said, hopping carefully down from the biobed. She followed Seven back to her old quarters, neither speaking on the way. B'Elanna steeled herself for the new look to what had been her home for the six and a half years before she had married Tom, but when she set foot in the room, she found not much had changed. A couch was placed in front of a coffee table and a chair sat off to the side, exactly as she had left it.

However, in place of the decorations B'Elanna had hung on her walls, there were holo-images. Mezoti, Azan and Rebi stood in front of Icheb in one, another was of Seven and Mezoti, one with Seven and Icheb, Seven and all the Borg children, small individual pictures of each of the children, Naomi and Seven, Mezoti and Naomi and finally, B'Elanna's gaze was drawn to the lone holo hung on the wall next to the door to the bedroom. It was of One and Seven.

Other than those pictures, the walls were bare, but in all truth, the pictures were all the gunmetal gray walls needed. They made this room a home. B'Elanna felt tears burn behind her eyes as she looked around to find more pictures of Seven with her colleagues, Janeway, Tuvok, the doctor, even one with B'Elanna. It was a candid shot of them working together in Engineering, B'Elanna smiling and Seven raising her eyebrow.

Seven watched B'Elanna look around, vaguely nervous at the first guest she had invited to her quarters since she had redecorated. She was especially anxious that B'Elanna not find fault with her arrangements, since this had previously been her quarters. Lieutenant Tuvok had suggested hanging objects that contained meaning to her, so she had hung the collection of photos the doctor had given her as a 'house warming present,' as he called it. The only picture he had not provided for her was the holo of One, which she had kept since his death as a visual reminder of... her son.

B'Elanna turned to Seven, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes, which she blamed on her hormones. She walked toward Seven and repressed the urge to hug the stiff woman, who suddenly looked very vulnerable, despite her hard exterior. Seven turned abruptly and led the way into the bedchamber. This was where B'Elanna noticed the most change. There was a borg alcove, casting green illumination throughout the room, the only light source before Seven ordered the computer to create normal lighting, destroying the eerie glow.

The bed sheets were standard issue, but rather than gray, Seven had apparently convinced the computer to replicate a pale green blanket and forest green sheets, which caught the glow from the alcove rather attractively. B'Elanna had never been fond of green, but she had to admit that the colors were the prettiest shades she had ever seen and it seemed a logical choice, given the lighting.

B'Elanna slipped beneath the covers and noticed that her red nightgown made it all seem a little Christmassy and she chuckled. Seven of Nine and Christmas didn't seem to go hand in hand, but picturing the former drone in a tight 'Santa' outfit made her smile again.

Seven watched B'Elanna crawl into her bed and wondered why she was laughing. Was it at her attempts to make her quarters 'homey?' Or perhaps it was some random thought passing through the chief engineer's mind that she couldn't fathom. Whatever it was, Seven felt left out and quickly walked over to her alcove. After giving the computer the command to turn the lights off, she stepped back into her place and felt the click as the regeneration cycle began and her consciousness started to fade.

"Good-night, Seven," she heard just before she was about to drift off. She halted the process long enough to respond.

"Good-night, Lieutenant."

"Since we're sleeping together, you might as well call me B'Elanna." Seven caught her breath for a moment, then complied.

"Sleep well, B'Elanna."

"Sweet dreams." Seven decided not to inform B'Elanna that she did not dream, but rather allowed herself to once again drift into her cycle.

* * *

Seven woke from her regeneration cycle in the middle of the night. She looked down at Lieutenant Torres, asleep in her bed and faced a dilemma. Usually, if she awoke from regenerating, it meant her body was ready to sleep and she would move to the bed. But the bed's occupant posed a problem. She had no doubt that it would be intrusive of her to either wake or join B'Elanna without permission.

She considered the couch and finally decided that it was the only option left. She took the excess pillow from her bed and a blanket from the closet. Once the couch was transferred into an acceptable bed, she fell immediately into a deep slumber.

**_To be continued… _**


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: You saw it on Star Trek? Then I don't own it! Simple enough? Femslash content (I like that word) so if you don't like that please don't waste your time with this story. Disclaimer, done. _

Code: T/7.  
Genre: Angst, Romance  
Rating: M/R  
Feedback: Click review, e-mail me, however you'd like to do it, but let me know what you thought!

* * *

**Dark Dawn**  
_Chapter 2_

* * *

B'Elanna woke with a start. For a moment she was disoriented, trying to figure out where she was, then the sight of the alcove reminded her. It all came flooding back in a rush that made her dizzy. She was grateful for her Klingon physiology for once, having been spared morning sickness due to it, and now she was certain that if she didn't have it, she would be sick.

The empty alcove made her ask the computer for the time, hoping that she hadn't slept into her shift. Would Seven let her do that? But, no, the computer told her that it was only oh-six-hundred and her shift wasn't until eight-hundred hours, the same as Seven's. She wondered then, why Seven's alcove was empty. A sound in the living quarters drew her attention and she thought that perhaps, Seven had woken hungry and early and was eating breakfast.

She stood, walked silently into the living room and froze. The sound she was hearing was a not-so-soft snore, being issued from the sleeping ex-drone on the couch. B'Elanna couldn't help but think how cute it was that Seven snored. She tip-toed to crouch right in front of Seven and stared at her. Aware that someone was watching her, Seven awoke with an undignified snort.

She sat up quickly and blinked back the sleep in her eyes. "Hello, Lieu—B'Elanna."

"Morning, Seven. How did you sleep?"

"I simply closed my eyes and waited until my conscious mind shut down." Seven answered, taking the question literally, assuming that B'Elanna had not been aware that she was capable of real sleep. But B'Elanna's laugh gave her the idea that perhaps she had misinterpreted the question.

"No, Seven, I mean, did you sleep well?" B'Elanna rephrased her question with a light laugh.

"I slept deeply, untroubled by unpleasant dreams." Seven replied.

"Me, too. But why did you sleep out here? I could have moved. After all, it is your bed."

"I decided that it would be rude to wake you, or ask that I have the bed I gave you to sleep in last night. Also, due to your pregnancy, I believed it to be best if you were comfortable while you slept, especially considering the recent situation with your now ex-husband." B'Elanna was moved by Seven's consideration and she decided to tell her so.

"Thank you, Seven. That was very kind of you, I appreciate it." Seven felt a warm feeling spread throughout her body at the praise and found that she liked it.

"You are welcome." Seven stood and walked into the bedroom. B'Elanna followed, but turned around immediately, blushing, as Seven began to strip. She gave Seven privacy, wandered over to the replicator and used some of her rations to make them both breakfast. She set the breakfast out on the table: two stacks of banana pancakes, a server of syrup, scrambled eggs and two glasses of juice. She sat on the floor on one side of the short table and waited for Seven to come out.

Seven emerged in a dark red biosuit and stared at the meal sitting out before her. She raised an eyebrow at B'Elanna, who indicated that she should sit down with her. She carefully folded her long legs under the table with B'Elanna's and looked at the food.

"This was unnecessary. I am content eating nutritional supplements." She said, gesturing at the food. B'Elanna pouted and Seven was startled by the effect it had on her. Immediately she wanted to make B'Elanna stop pouting and resume smiling. "But I appreciate it." She said, repeating the words the half-Klingon had spoken to her earlier to make her feel good inside. B'Elanna immediately brightened and Seven felt better.

"Good, then dig in." B'Elanna followed her own advice and Seven tentatively reached for the syrup, poured it directly in the middle of the round stack, then replaced it on the table in the exact place it had been before. Following B'Elanna's example, she spread out the stack and cut the cakes into pieces. After making sure that she had a banana slice speared with her piece of pancake, she placed it in her mouth.

Immediately, she understood why B'Elanna had selected this particular dish. Per her challenge by the doctor, Seven had been experimenting with various foods and flavors, but she had yet to try breakfast foods. She was not as impressed with the eggs until she put syrup on them as well, then she found that she was fond of maple syrup.

B'Elanna watched as Seven covered everything in syrup and was briefly reminded of childhood. She watched Seven eat the food with obvious enjoyment and began feeling very happy herself, content for the moment to forget the previous night's disaster.

* * *

"Hey, Seven!" Seven turned at the sound of Tom Paris' voice, anger rising within her. Despite showing a previous love and protection of his offspring, he had shown a lack of respect and love for both his wife and daughter when he had chosen to copulate outside his marriage. So, he became repugnant to Seven, losing the iota of respect she had held for him.

"Lieutenant," she regretfully acknowledged.

"Hey, have you seen B'Elanna? I've been to Engineering and all over looking for her and I thought you might have seen her."

"Yes." She answered honestly, though she did not feel that Paris deserved even this knowledge.

"Where was she?"

"When?"

"When you saw her?"

"If you are referring to last night, she was in my bed. If you are referring to this morning, she was on her way to meet the captain in her ready room to legally divorce you." With that, Seven turned and finished her walk to the turbolift, leaving Tom Paris behind with his mouth hanging open.

"She left me... for her?" Tom asked the empty corridor, still in shock. He wasn't sure what he thought of B'Elanna's taste. He felt a little less hurt by the fact that it was a woman, and simultaneously, more injured. The fact that it was Seven of Nine... He shook his head, completely bewildered.

Then he asked the computer where B'Elanna was, wondering why he didn't do that in the first place. "B'Elanna Torres is in Seven of Nine's quarters," the computer informed him. '_So, it's true,_' Tom thought. '_She really left me for Seven of Nine._' He shook his head sadly and began making his way to Seven of Nine's quarters, only vaguely realizing that they were B'Elanna's old quarters and not making the connection.

* * *

Tom stood outside the door, deciding whether or not this was the time and place for this. After a few minutes, he finally decided that it was either now or never and he pressed the chime. B'Elanna came to the door, still dressed in the nightgown she had left their quarters in, looking tired and ill. He almost decided to let her be until she was better, but knew that he couldn't wait.

"B'Elanna, I need to talk to you." B'Elanna blinked sleepily at Tom, wondering what he was doing there. After seeing the captain (in her nightclothes, because she refused to enter the Paris-Torres residence even for her uniform), Janeway had ordered her to take the day off. She had admitted that she felt very ill and had consented to sleep a while more. But now, the reason she was unwell was standing in front of her and she didn't even have the strength to be angry.

"Like the last time we talked, Tom? I don't think I can handle that. Please leave me alone."

"B'Elanna, wait. I can't. I was up all night, thinking about what I did. I was a jackass; I'll admit it. I violated your trust and I don't even know why or what I was thinking. All I can seem to come up with is that I don't deserve you. And I know it. I can't settle down, I never have been able to. And both you and our daughter deserve more than that. That's why I told you what I did."

"Why are you doing this, Tom?" B'Elanna asked, somewhat dazed and getting dizzier the longer she stood.

"Because I love you. And I feel you deserve the truth. I've been looking for you all morning to tell you that. But there's something you haven't told me." B'Elanna looked at him, confused. "How long has _this_ been going on?"

"'This?'" B'Elanna repeated, not understanding.

"I mean, there must be something there, I know that you are a good judge of people, barring a few mistakes, but I just want to know what it is."

"What '_what__'_ is?"

"Seven of Nine. The Ice Queen! I mean, if she doesn't like guys, that explains a lot, but you could have at least told me that you were replacing me with her."

"Replacing you? We're just—" B'Elanna paused, searching for a word. Were they friends? Acquaintances? What? She switched to a more forceful tactic, rather than stutter. "There is nothing 'going on' between us, except maybe a friendship."

"Really? That's not the impression she gave me," Tom said, frowning. B'Elanna matched his frown with one of her own. Seven of Nine considered them more than friends? Why? Was she just hoping that they would become more? Was Tom lying or misinterpreting something? B'Elanna's mind was plagued with questions that she was not ready to deal with... yet.

"Tom, I can't forgive you right now. Maybe in time, but we'll never be together again, not like that. Right now, I'm not even sure we could be friends." Tom nodded, noting the hurt and confusion in B'Elanna's eyes and felt angry with Seven for making him think that they were lovers. Surely the Borg woman had been around Humans long enough to understand what she had said. She had probably phrased her response to imply just what she had.

Well, he wasn't going to let her dishonor B'Elanna's name like that.

* * *

B'Elanna sat down on the bed, her mind puzzling over things that she had never before considered. She had never questioned her sexuality or even thought about taking another woman as a lover. It wasn't that she was against it, it had just never occurred to her. But as she thought over her feelings toward Seven of Nine, she realized that she had been misinterpreting them. They weren't the hostile or platonically friendly feelings she had previously believed, but rather lust and attraction.

Attraction. Yes, that was definitely it. Whenever she saw Seven of Nine, it wasn't hate that her hearts sped up with, but rather lust... Lust? Was that even right? Oh, sure enough it was in there, but...

"Oh, my god." Suddenly, the reason for her waning affection for Tom, the fights over nothing and the loss of interest became clear. She was attracted to Seven of Nine. "I'm in love with Seven of Nine." She suddenly questioned everything she had ever done around Seven, every action, every thought, right up to coming to Seven's door last night. She hadn't forgotten, at least not subconsciously. She had actually _wanted _to see Seven.

Harry was too close to Tom and she didn't have any really close female friends, her mind argued. But it also agreed that she had run right to Seven, when she could have run straight to the captain, who would have given her temporary quarters until she could be reassigned a permanent room.

She had known...

**_To be continued… _**


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: You saw it on Star Trek? Then I don't own it! Simple enough? Femslash content (I like that word) so if you don't like that please don't waste your time with this story. Disclaimer, done. _

Code: T/7.  
Genre: Angst, Romance  
Rating: M/R  
Feedback: Click review, e-mail me, however you'd like to do it, but let me know what you thought!

* * *

**Dark Dawn**  
_Chapter 3_

* * *

Tom Paris stormed into Astrometrics. He stopped when he saw Icheb standing innocently next to Seven. Icheb noticed him and greeted him in a friendly manner, draining some of Tom's anger.

"Hello, Lieutenant. May we help you?" Tom frowned at Seven, then turned back to the trusting, younger man.

"Not this time, Icheb. May I speak to Seven privately?" Icheb looked at Seven, who nodded.

"Certainly," Icheb said and walked out of Astrometrics. Tom walked up to Seven and stood, glaring at her.

"Is B'Elanna the subject which you are interested in discussing with me?"

"Yeah. Specifically the way you 'implied,' something that could be very damaging to her reputation.

"I implied? I do not recall implying anything when last we spoke." Seven set down the padd she had been preparing calculations on and gave Tom her full attention.

"Don't give me that Borg innocence crap. You know damn well what you implied." Seven raised a calm eyebrow at him, hiding her dislike of him beneath her impassive outward appearance. "'If you are referring to last night, she was in my bed.' I believe that is what you said."

"More or less. I do not understand what you think I was implying. I was simply stating the fact that Lieutenant Torres spent the night in my bed."

"No, you were implying that she slept with you."

"I did no such thing. I did not say that I was in that bed. Had you inquired, you would have learned that I slept on my couch."

"But that's not what you _said_." Tom insisted and Seven began to get annoyed.

"What have my sleeping accommodations to do with Lieutenant Torres' location?"

"Stop doing that, dammit!"

"Doing what?"

"Talking like you're innocent. You knew that I would assume that you slept together!"

"So?"

"'So?' How can you imply that B'Elanna would sleep with just anybody? Do you know what it would do to her reputation if people thought she was having sex with you?" Seven started.

"Sex? What does sleeping have to do with sex? The only thing that they have in common..." That's when it hit her. He had assumed that they had copulated because B'Elanna had been in her bed. Irritation at his assumption that she would feign ignorance caused her eye to twitch, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of showing that he could affect her.

"You got it." Tom paused, suddenly at a loss. He realized he may have blown the situation out of proportion. "I'm sorry if you really didn't know."

"I didn't. But what do you mean, 'it would ruin her reputation' if others assumed we were mates?" Tom began stammering and backing out of the Astrometrics lab, saying that he had to get to his shift. "Is it because of who I am?"

"I've gotta go," Tom said and fled, leaving Seven to think about the information he had given her. The hurt it caused gave her pause. Was that why she was never asked to social gatherings by anyone save the captain and doctor? Did the crew still view her in a negative way that would affect the 'reputation' of anyone who wished to date her? She gave no outward suggestion of the inner turmoil when Icheb returned to continue their work, but it never left her mind.

* * *

B'Elanna slept until Seven returned from her shift. She saw that something was wrong instantly. Seven walked more stiffly than usual and refused to meet her eyes. B'Elanna was upset by the impersonal greeting Seven gave her and her temper began to flare. She thought last night had changed things for the two of them.

"You know what, Seven? I was looking forward to you coming back right up until I fell asleep because I needed to talk to you. But if you're going to treat me like a stranger, then I'm leaving." She walked to the door, fighting hurt and anger. "And I'm going to tell everyone that you snore," she growled, trying to hide her pain.

"Please do not leave, B'Elanna." She froze at the sound of her name and looked back at Seven. Seven frowned suddenly and declared, "I do not snore." B'Elanna smiled. "What do you wish to speak of?"

"First tell me why you're being so... formal," B'Elanna said, turning to face Seven.

"I would not wish to give anyone the wrong impression."

"About what?" B'Elanna asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"About you and I." Seven still was unable to meet B'Elanna's eyes.

"Now how would you be doing that?" B'Elanna asked gently, walking up to stand in front of Seven.

"Lieutenant Paris—"

"Is an idiot." B'Elanna's words caused Seven to look up. "Seven, why are you scared to give people a wrong impression? What does it matter what they think?"

"I am merely concerned for your reputation."

"My reputation? As what? An engineer? A bad tempered Klingon?"

"I am not sure what reputation that Lieutenant Paris was speaking of."

"Didn't I just say he was an idiot?"

"But he is correct, B'Elanna. The crew is fond of rumors and they react to others based on their opinions of them. I do not wish to be the reason that others stop interacting with you."

"And why would you be?"

"If they assumed that we were in a romantic relationship..." Seven began looking at her holo-images to prevent herself from looking at B'Elanna, which was something that she desperately wanted to do.

"Then what? Nevermind. Seven, this is sort of what I wanted to talk to you about."

"What?" Seven looked at B'Elanna, despite her attempts to do otherwise. B'Elanna sat on the couch and looked up at Seven.

"My feelings... That is, I...When Tom came by here he said that you had... dammit."

"Lieutenant?"

"I think I'm in love with you!" B'Elanna blurted and immediately wished that she were anywhere else. She didn't want to see rejection in Seven's eyes, but she was scared to look for acceptance, either.

"In love with me?" B'Elanna looked up at Seven's question and nodded, searching her face for any sign of how she felt. "I do not think that I share your feelings, B'Elanna, I'm sorry."

"Oh," was all B'Elanna could think to say. She felt as if someone had let all the air out of her.

"But I would like to get to know you better. I have feelings for you, and though they are not the same, I believe that if given the chance, they may become so."

"What do you mean?" Seven looked at the floor, then back to B'Elanna.

"I find you attractive—"

"Even like this?" B'Elanna indicated her swollen frame.

"Yes. I also enjoyed our time together at breakfast. I do wish to be friends with you, B'Elanna. Perhaps even more. I am just... reluctant, considering the circumstances."

"What circumstances?"

"You recent dissolution of marriage, your pregnancy and my inexperience in relationships."

"Look. I'm not going to force anything. I usually _would_ prefer to be alone. Relationships are too hard, it seems. Just forget I said anything." B'Elanna stood and began walking toward the door.

"B'Elanna." She froze at the sound of Seven's voice, hurt and embarrassment coursing through her body. She didn't turn around. "I believe that if we are to attempt a romantic relationship, then one of us should propose the first date. Therefore, how does dinner sound?" B'Elanna stood at the door, shaking.

"Um, it sounds good," she answered quietly, forcing her voice not to shake. Seven pretended not to her the tremor in B'Elanna's voice.

"Then I propose that we have dinner, tonight, on the holodeck." B'Elanna turned around, finally.

"Why the holodeck?"

"Because I believe that were we to use either of our quarters, it would be too intimate for a first date. Do you disagree?"

"No, but I could point out that I still don't have any quarters and am still sleeping here. Unless you don't want me to."

"No, I do not wish for you to cease sleeping here. But the holodeck will also provide a more... romantic atmosphere."

"It's a date," B'Elanna said, then left to retrieve something to wear from her former quarters.

* * *

B'Elanna laughed. Seven looked at her in the simulated moonlight, her skin glowing and her hair flowing in the breeze as the walked along side a holographic lake. Seven had decided that an evening picnic sounded romantic, so she had set the program up before B'Elanna arrived. It was actually Ensign Kim's program, but Seven asked him and he agreed to her using it.

"This is wonderful, Seven. I should have known you had a romantic side." Seven remained quiet and just enjoyed the view. They sat down at the edge of the water and B'Elanna took her shoes off so she could dangle her feet in. She was wearing a dark crimson dress that flowed in the wind, hugging to her form. Seven had to admit, at least to herself, that this had been a good idea. "Good food, good company, I think this is the perfect first date," B'Elanna whispered as she looked up at the full moon over the water.

"I am in agreement." The time passed slowly, the quiet conversation they had shared over the picnic replaced by companionable silence. B'Elanna leaned against Seven, who in turn, placed her arm around the smaller woman and held her close while they enjoyed the night.

* * *

"Do not push, B'Ella. It is not yet time." Seven demanded. B'Elanna glared at Seven, who was carrying her through the halls, in a hurry to get her to Sickbay. She had gone into labor in Engineering, ignoring the contractions at first, assuming that it was the false labor that she had experienced twice before.

Until her water broke.

The turbolift loomed ahead of them, the doors closing as a crewman boarded. Seven called for him to wait, but it was no use, the lift left without them. They both knew that she couldn't be transported, not with the baby's birth being so close, it could kill either or both of them. So they waited for the next lift.

"You can put me down, Seven. I think I can walk now." Seven looked at her dubiously, but slowly complied. B'Elanna somehow managed to stand, and began pacing in front of the turbolift, stretching her legs. "Computer, where is the damn lift?"

"Turbolift one is currently unavailable."

"What! Why?" B'Elanna demanded to know.

"It is on halt between decks two and three."

"Computer, override! This is a medical emergency!"

"Complying." A few moments later, the lift arrived and two flushed and disheveled crewmen staggered out.

"Sorry, sir," Crewman Rachel Smithjones muttered, embarrassed, as the two hurried off.

"The turbolift is not a toy!" Seven growled after them as B'Elanna pulled her in and the doors closed, sealing the lift for its journey to deck five. All the way there, Seven fretted and asked B'Elanna if she was going to be okay.

"Calm down, Seven. I'm fine. I'm just... having a baby. No big deal." B'Elanna said, attempting levity in the face of the ex-Borg's worry.

"It is a 'big deal,' B'Ella. It is your first baby." B'Elanna took Seven's hand and smiled, looking into her deep, worried, blue eyes.

"How long have we been together now?"

"Two months, one week, five days, twenty hours..."

"Alright, alright. I don't need it down to the second," B'Elanna said, laughing. "The point is, we've been together a while now. I was wondering if you had made up your mind yet."

"About what?"

"If you share my feelings?" Seven looked at her intensely.

"You have not surmised that information yet?" asked the serious blonde woman.

"I don't know." B'Elanna replied honestly. Seven opened her mouth to answer, but at that moment, everything went dark for B'Elanna. There was no warning, just an intense burst of pain, and then the dark washed everything away.

**_To be continued… _**


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: You saw it on Star Trek? Then I don't own it! Simple enough? Femslash content (I like that word) so if you don't like that please don't waste your time with this story. Disclaimer, done. _

Code: T/7.  
Genre: Angst, Romance  
Rating: M/R  
Feedback: Click review, e-mail me, however you'd like to do it, but let me know what you thought!

* * *

**Dark Dawn**  
_Chapter 4_

* * *

"She's coming around..."

"B'Ella, can you hear me?" B'Elanna heard a baby crying and she tried to open her eyes.

"Seven?"

"Yes, B'Ella. I'm here." B'Elanna blinked through the brightness at Seven, who stood over her, seemingly enveloped in a halo of light. Her eyes tired and sore, B'Elanna closed them again.

"Am I in sickbay?"

"Yes." The doctor's voice. "You've had your baby. She's beautiful. Do you want to see her?" B'Elanna opened her eyes to look and sure enough, the doctor handed her a beautiful, blonde baby girl. "Have you decided on a name?"

"Yes," B'Elanna said, taking the baby. She looked into the deep, blue eyes and smiled. "I want to name her Annibel."

"A lovely name," the doctor agreed. "English. A combinaiton of the names Anna and Bel—"

"No. At least, not this time," B'Elanna interrupted.

"Annika and B'Elanna?" Seven asked. B'Elanna turned her head to look at her and smiled.

"Yes." B'Elanna felt Seven's hand cover her own. She looked back down at Annibel, who was being quiet now. Her eyes had closed and she was settling down into the blanket the doctor had wrapped her in. B'Elanna ran her hand gently over the barely visible ridges, then leaned down and kissed her new daughter's eyelids.

* * *

B'Elanna woke up at the sound of Annibel's screams. She hurried to the crib at the foot of the bed and picked up her baby. Annibel cried as her half-asleep mother carried her back to the bed. B'Elanna offered her a late-night snack, but Annibel refused, moving her head to the side and crying even louder. After checking her diaper to find out that she was dry, B'Elanna tried rocking and singing to calm the baby down, but after about ten minutes, it became apparent that it wasn't going to work. 

B'Elanna only took enough time to slip on a robe before practically running to sickbay. Everything seemed to take too long as her baby kept crying. She couldn't walk fast enough, the turbolift was agonizingly slow and then the doors to sickbay seemed to have a malfunction that caused them to take way too long in opening.

"Computer, activate EMH!"

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the doctor stated pleasantly, much to B'Elanna's annoyance as it further delayed helping her child.

"Annibel won't stop crying. I've tried feeding, checked her diaper, rocked her and sang to her and nothing seems to work."

"Okay, let's have a look, shall we?" He took Annibel from B'Elanna and set her in the middle of the infant biobed to examine her. B'Elanna paced impatiently, her eyes never leaving the doctor and his tiny patient. "As I suspected." The doctor closed the tricorder and collected a hypospray from the table nearest him and began programming it. "It's common in human-Klingon hybrid children for the early growth and developmental rate to be radically different from either race, most commonly being more rapid. Litttle Annibel here is suffering from just that."

"Is that why she's crying?"

"Yes. Over the next few months, her body will be growing so quickly that her growing pains will most likely cause her to cry for hours every night."

"Can't you stop them or something?"

"Of course not. It's the natural development of her body. However, I can give her this compound to help ease the pain."

"You're giving her drugs?" B'Elanna growled incredulously.

"No! Don't be absurd. It will simply help ease the process of rapid bone growth and alleviate the pain."

"Oh." B'Elanna stepped closely to monitor the injection of the compound. A few moments later, the baby's cries died down. "Will she be okay?"

"Yes. But you'll have to bring her in every three days for another treatment."

"Yes, Doctor." B'Elanna picked Annibel back up and held her tightly, relieved that she felt better. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied with a smile. "Other than this how has she been? Is she feeding well?"

"Yeah, but she's really got a big appetite. It doesn't seem like I can keep her full all the time."

"Don't worry, that's normal, considering. Your Klingon side should ensure that you do produce enough milk to keep her nourished, as Klingons tend to over-produce. But, if you're unsure, I'm sure that the captain will authorize Annibel some replicator rations for a supplemental formula."

"I'll ask her just in case."

"Good. Then how are you holding up?"

"I think I'm doing pretty well. It's a little tedious, being on maternity leave, but it's not so bad, really. Annibel is a full-time project. I have a new respect for Sam Wildman. Did she have the problem of rapid development and growing pains with Naomi?"

"No, Ktarians naturally develop rapidly, so there were already natural countermeasures in place in Naomi's system."

"Lucky kid." B'Elanna watched as Annibel fell asleep and smiled at the tiny yawn her little girl produced. "Thanks, Doc."

* * *

"I wish to discuss the nature of our relationship," Seven stated. 

"Yeah, hold on a sec. Anni! Stop pulling those down, please. Mommy needs them." Annibel pouted, jutting out her lower lip. At only four months, she was developmentally eighteen months old. By Klingon standards, that meant about two human years. B'Elanna recovered the padd before it was flung in one of Annibel's new obsessions: a tantrum.

"No!" Annibel yelled when B'Elanna took the padd away, then she flung herself on the ground and screamed at the top of her lungs. All three of them. B'Elanna tried to tempt her with stuffed toys and other objects, but finally, just had to let Annibel wear herself out, as she had become too angry to deal with.

"I can't even say that it's the 'terrible twos,' since she's not even a year old yet." B'Elanna said, apologetically to Seven over the screaming.

"Are all children at her developmental age this loud?"

"All the ones I've met," B'Elanna said. "What is it that you wanted to discuss?" B'Elanna watched as Seven shifted uncomfortably.

"Four months ago, you asked if I had decided whether or not I reciprocated your feelings. At the time, I had not and was unable to give you an answer. I have thought about it very hard lately and must conclude that the answer is..." Seven paused and B'Elanna had to restrain herself from jumping across the room and yelling at her to spit it out. "That I do not. I am sorry." B'Elanna felt as if she had just been hit with a shuttle.

"You… don't." B'Elanna said, crushed and in mild shock.

"No. Though I enjoy our friendship, I must admit that the physical aspect of our relationship has grown... undesirable. I hope that we can maintain our friendship, despite the loss of our romantic affiliation."

"You mean, let's just be friends." B'Elanna translated, bitterly.

"Precisely." Seven waited for B'Elanna's response, unable to meet her eyes.

"Get out."

"What?"

"I can't be around you right now, get away from me." B'Elanna stood and pointed at the door. Seven looked at her sadly.

"I did not wish to hurt you."

"Please just leave. We'll talk later, but right now, I can't be around you. Please," tears began forming in her eyes and she turned her back to Seven, unable to look at the woman she loved—who didn't love her back. She heard the doors to her quarters open, but they didn't close for a long moment. When they finally closed, B'Elanna sat down on the couch and began crying. Annibel, noticing her mother's distress, abruptly ended her tantrum and crawled over to her.

"Mommy?" B'Elanna quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile at the sound of her little girl's voice.

"Yes, honey?"

"Why you sad?" B'Elanna looked into the big blue eyes for a moment, and then pulled Annibel into a hug.

"It's nothing you need to worry about, baby. Mommy's okay." She pulled Annibel into her lap and snuggled her, kissing the top of her head.

"Wuv you, Mommy."

"I love you too, Annibel." The door chimed. "Come in."

"Lieutenant Torres? This is for you." B'Elanna looked up at the crewman and indicated that he should bring the padd to her. He complied, and then left, quickly. B'Elanna scanned the contents of the padd, unable to believe her eyes.

"He's suing for custody?" B'Elanna glared at the padd a moment, rereading it to make sure she was reading it right, then she threw it towards the wall as hard as she could.

**_To be concluded… _**


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: You saw it on Star Trek? Then I don't own it! Simple enough? Femslash content (I like that word) so if you don't like that please don't waste your time with this story. Disclaimer, done. _

Code: T/7.  
Genre: Angst, Romance  
Rating: M/R  
Feedback: Click review, e-mail me, however you'd like to do it, but let me know what you thought!

* * *

**Dark Dawn**  
_Chapter 5_

* * *

"My competency as a mother!" 

"B'Elanna, I know that this is hard on you. Believe me, I don't want to test you anymore than you want to be tested," Janeway said, trying to calm B'Elanna down. The members of the senior staff had gathered in the conference room, with Janeway sitting at the head of the table. It had the air of a courtroom. B'Elanna glared at Tom as she took her seat.

"Captain, is a formal hearing truly necessary?" B'Elanna was a little surprised to hear Seven come to her defense, but glad nonetheless.

"I'm afraid so. The rules are quite clear. Now, onto business." With those words, the hearing began in earnest. Tuvok took the part as the prosecutor, while B'Elanna chose to defend herself. Twenty minutes into the hearing proved what a mistake that was.

"Is it true that the defendant tampered with your program for the sole purpose of forcing you to resequence her unborn child's DNA? To remove her Klingon heritage?"

"Well, yes, but..." And that was only the beginning. Everything that B'Elanna had ever done wrong was brought up, dirty laundry aired for the entire senior staff to judge her with.

"She made frequent trips into the holodeck with the safeties off and ran dangerous programs with the intent to hurt herself..."

"Has she not expressed disapproval of all things Klingon?"

"Yes."

"And is it not possible that she might harm her daughter, only because she appears Klingon?"

"This is absurd..."

"Please describe Lt. Torres' reaction to discovering that Annibel would have the Klingon attribute of forehead ridges..." And on it went. The trial had to be halted in the middle when B'Elanna requested counsel, realizing that she could not defend herself properly against the accusations being brought up against her. She was approached with offers from Harry, Neelix and Seven to be her attorney when the group broke up. She spent the remainder of the recess making a difficult decision.

She accepted Seven's offer.

Seven defended her with more skill and logic than B'Elanna herself could manage and by the end of the hearing, B'Elanna had resumed hope, even if she did feel that she didn't have a friend left on Voyager.

"We'll adjourn for now, so that I can review the information I have been presented with today. We shall reconvene tomorrow at 08:00 hours, at which time I shall announce my decision.

Everyone stood and allowed the captain to leave before milling about. Several of the officers looked at B'Elanna as if they wanted to apologize, but no one did. Instead, they hurried out the doors, leaving B'Elanna alone with Tom and Seven.

"Leave me the hell alone, Tom." B'Elanna growled. Tom nodded and left. B'Elanna buried her face in her hands and the day finally overwhelmed her. Her whole body was racked with silent sobs. Arms wrapped around her and she felt Seven's face press against hers. "What if I lose?"

"Then we will appeal."

"What's the point? I'll always have the same judge; no new evidence can be brought up. My past will ruin my future."

"That is not yet decided." B'Elanna leaned into Seven, relishing the contact for a minute, then remembered that they weren't lovers anymore. She sat up straight, pulling out of Seven's embrace. Seven stood up and walked a circle around B'Elanna to face her. "You should eat dinner." B'Elanna met her eyes briefly, then looked away.

"I'm not hungry."

"Then perhaps you should sleep."

"I can't go back to my quarters without Annibel there."

"I am certain that Neelix is taking good care of her."

"So am I. I just can't... It's too quiet... Dammit." B'Elanna wiped away the tears that had snuck up on her. Seven held out one hand.

"Come with me." B'Elanna looked up at her, wondering if she was just trying to torment her.

"Where?"

"Comply." Seven continued to offer her hand. B'Elanna took it and allowed herself to be led.

B'Elanna wasn't sure how they had ended up like this, but she wasn't really complaining. Seven had taken her to the Mess Hall and forced her to eat, then brought her back to Seven's quarters. Looking into those bright blue eyes, it had been as if the rejection had never happened.

They made love.

She returned to reality to find herself in Seven's arms and just lay, feeling her hearts pound slowly, calming down and listening to Seven's breath, the beating of her heart. Within minutes, sleep washed over her, enveloping her in warm contentment.

* * *

B'Elanna woke up and rolled over to find Seven sitting on the edge of the bed. She started to smile until she noticed that Seven looked pensive. 

"Seven? Are you okay?" Seven looked at her and B'Elanna was overcome by a feeling of dread.

"I... do not know."

"What is it?"

"I do not know how to answer you."

"Tell me what's on your mind."

"This was a mistake." B'Elanna felt something inside her go cold. "We should not have... I did not want to hurt you." B'Elanna sat up and started getting dressed. She tried to ignore the fact that Seven was watching her. "I was... you were just so beautiful and I didn't want you to hurt anymore. I fear that I may have done more harm—"

"Fuck you, Seven. Just... fuck you." B'Elanna stormed out of the bedroom, stumbling for the door, blinded by unshed tears and vaguely disoriented.

"B'Elanna, please. Do not be angry!" Seven tried to hold her back and B'Elanna shoved her away.

"Don't ever touch me again. I love you, Seven. I can't handle—" her voice broke and she ran out of the ex-drone's quarters as fast as she could. She ran so fast that she tripped and fell over her own feet. She picked herself back up and began running again, trying to outrace her mind, her breaking heart.

She managed to make it into the turbolift before she broke down completely.

* * *

"Upon review of all the evidence, I have no choice but to grant full custody of Annibel Paris to her father, Thomas Eugene Paris. I'm sorry, B'Elanna." B'Elanna didn't hear her words of apology. She was in a haze. She didn't wait for anybody to say anything else to her; she just left. She walked to her quarters, ignoring everyone's calls for her to return. 

Nothing registered as she walked back to her quarters, not really thinking, just breathing. It seemed suddenly very difficult to just breathe. Everything was gone. She set the lock on her doors and walked into her bedroom, where she looked at Annibel's bed. She scanned the room, suddenly in a panic, her eyes finally landing on the bat'leth hung on the wall.

She stood and walked to it, losing touch with reality as every step drew her closer. She stood in front of it and contemplated the design, the curve and before she knew it, it was in her hand and she hefted it. Time seemed to skip and she was in her bed, lying down. She looked at the bat'leth and there was blood on it. She tried to remember where the blood had come from, but she couldn't. She looked down and saw a darkness pooling, but nothing hurt.

"_B'Ella?"_ B'Elanna looked around for the voice, recognizing it as Seven's.

"You hurt me." B'Elanna told the voice, but no sound came out of her mouth. She was suddenly paralyzed and an intense pain gripped her abdomen.

"_She's coming around..."_

"B'Elanna?" B'Elanna opened her eyes to find herself in Sickbay. "B'Ella, are you awake?"

"Seven?" B'Elanna's throat was dry and another spasm wracked her body. She felt an urge to bear down and she heard the doctor encouraging her to push. The dream fell to shreds around her as she came back into her own body. She realized that she had been asleep that whole time and relief flooded through her; then doubt as she remembered the beginning of the dream.

"I am here, B'Ella. What is it?"

"I need to know," B'Elanna felt tears burning behind her eyes as the pain of the dream reminded her of her question.

"Yes, B'Elanna. Yes, I love you," Seven answered, squeezing the half-Klingon's hand reassuringly. B'Elanna smiled happily.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, B'Ella." B'Elanna was then lost in the final moments of birth, until she heard that first cry. The cry of a new life, of her daughter, of...

"Annibel."

**_The End. _**

**_Note:_** _"They made love." was used to replace the original sex scene, which was rather explicit. Sorry about that, but I don't want my account deleted, so I try to stick to the rules of the site. The full scene is out there, somewhere on the 'net, but you'll have to find it on your own, alas. Try looking up "xakana". Since I'm basically the only one out there, you're likely to find something about these perfect misfits related to me._


End file.
